Closure
by Snowcouger
Summary: Coming back from his first mission out of the village, life in his new home seems stable enough, but trouble in the form of old prejudices and rouge ANBU looms.


AN: Set roughly a year after Naruto came back. I'm taking liberties with the use of the elemental chakra's by all our favorite Jounin, seeing as how most of them aren't using any anyway. Feel free to steal any of the jutsu you see in here, as I made most of them up for use by my Kiba Inuzuka character online.

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"...Dun...dun go... ken e'plain...Dun run 'way..." He thrashed and groaned in his sleep, obviously right in the middle of a nightmare. "Please..." He twitched and rolled over, curling into a little ball, face contorted into a grimace of unbearable pain. "Didn't... wasn' my..."

His companion, alerted to his distress, entered the tent and knelt beside him. He placed a hand on the his shoulder and shook him gently. "Wake up."

"Never meant... didn't want... please... hurts..."

"Come on Naruto," he insisted, shaking him harder. "Wake up. You're safe, it's just a nightmare."

"I wasn't trying... oh god... stop... please stop..." he was almost crying by this point. "Hurts... God i' hur's...someone... 'nyone...HELP!..." He shook violently, terrified from the mental horror show that had him in it's grip.

"Damn it..." he growled, seeing that he'd have to shock him awake this time. He reached for his canteen and popped off the lid, pouring the cool liquid over the blonde's face, knowing it was one of the only ways to wake him when the nightmares got that bad.

"NO!!" he screamed and shot to the other side of the tent, knee's pulled to his chest and hyperventilating. His eye's were wide open but still unseeing, the terror painfully evident.

"Naruto, it's okay," he soothed. "You're safe, no one's going to hurt you."

He stared at the other man with unknowing eyes. "Safe...?"

"That's right. I'm the only one here and I won't hurt you."

"But... they... and I was... I didn't..."

"I know Naruto. I know you didn't mean any of it to happen. It's okay now. You're okay now. There's nothing here that can hurt you."

Naruto blinked, some semblance of reason finally showing in his eyes. "Kiba?"

"That's right, I'm here. It's just me, no one else."

"Where...?"

"About a day's run from the Gates," he answered calmly. "Remember, the diplomatic mission to Suna? You got to meet the Kazekage finally? Spent the entire time bonding with him and his siblings?"

"I... I what..." he blinked again as the memories of the last few days hit him. "Oh... right... I remember now..."

Kiba slowly moved closer to Naruto, knowing he was still spooked beyond belief and any sudden movements would probably make him jump right out of the tent and up a tree. Settling down next to him, he handed him the half full canteen.

Naruto drank gratefully and leaned slightly against Kiba's side, desperately needed the physical contact to calm down.

They sat in silence for about five minutes while Naruto's breathing returned to normal. Once it had Kiba risked, "Feel like talking about it?"

He could feel the shiver before Naruto responded with, "Not particularly."

"Alright."

"What time is it?"

"Still pretty early."

"How early is early."

"'Holy shit the sun is laughing at you' early."

"Oh... So too early to get up and break camp."

"Just a bit," he agreed. "Not that it matters all that much, since neither of us is going to get anymore sleep tonight."

"Tell me about it..."

They lapsed back into silence for a few minutes.

"You won't... yanno..."

"Course not."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Naruto took another swig of water before handing the canteen back to it's owner. "Never thought I'd ever say this... but I can't wait to get back."

"It's easier, being surrounded by your friends instead of just trees."

"Not really..."

"Seriously, if you ever need to talk..."

"You're the first one I'd go to. No offense to Kotetsu, but it's not really all that fun talking to a shrink... even if he is a ninja."

"Better Kotetsu then any of the other ones in the village. At least he can begin to understand the shit that we go through, since yanno, he's been through most of it."

"Fer you maybe," snorted Naruto. "There's not a person around that's been through the same shit as me. Not even the other jinchuuriki can really understand. 'Cept for Gaara. That shit his uncle pulled ties with the shit they did to me."

"Hence why Sandaime-sama thought it was a good idea for you to come with me on this mission. He figured the two of you would be good therapy for each other, and you needed to get out of the village for a few days before you went stir-crazy."

"And I had to do at least one mission this month or else there the jackasses on the Jounin council were gunna revoke my status. They're just looking for a reason to bust me back down to Chuunin again."

"They know it won't last if they do..." sighed Kiba, shaking his head.

"Feh, you know it's that fucktard retired ANBU captain that keeps doing it. They're all terrified of him so they capitulate to his demands."

"Well, I saw the records from the last meeting and apparently, he's not getting unanimous approval anymore. Seems a couple of the other ex-ANBU and the Tokujo reps are banding against him. They're getting pissed with all the rank pulling he's been doing to get his orders approved."

"Bastard's a slimy little politician, ain't he?"

"Tell me about it... You know he's actually calling in everyone that's cleared to work with you and trying to get them to testify that you're a danger on missions?"

"Not again..." he groaned. "I thought we were past this already..."

"I know right..."

"Anyone turn this time?"

"Not a one. Which is amazing in and of itself 'cause half the people he called in where firmly in his camp when Sandaime-sama announced that you were joining the joining the Jounin corps."

"What did he expect? He'd only just told them I was alive and had come back five minutes beforehand."

"Well, it's a good thing he didn't push for anything more then what he gave you..."

"And that I kicked that group of Tokujo's asses when they came after me the next day. You know you belong with the full Jounin when you take out ten Tokujo's barehanded."

"Yeah... I can't honestly say I've ever seen Hayate Gekko laugh like that in all the years I've known him."

"It was kinda funny, seeing where everyone fell once the line's where finally drawn. I'm honestly surprised that so many of the Tokujo's and Jounin's that where orphaned by Kyuubi supported me."

"Not to mention all of us."

"Well, considering how it was only the eleven of us from our year that made it... Make that ten, since I never actually graduated."

"Hey, it says on your record that you did, so you count in with us."

"How do you know what my record says?"

"ANBU has it's privileges," he shrugged.

"Yeah, yeah..."

"I bet if you asked they'd let you see it. Iruka-sensei would probably sneak it out for you. If not then you could just ask Sandaime-sama."

"Feh, no point in looking at my record... nothing in there I don't already know."

"True..."

"But on the subject of ANBU... how long you planning on staying active? You cannot be very popular there anymore, and I know they're getting kinda twitchy about giving you missions now."

"Yeah... but it won't last forever. I'm too good for them to shut out without a much better reason then being your friend."

"Sure about that? I've seen them go after people on obviously fake and trumped-up charges before. Wouldn't take much for them to take you out like that."

"There's gunna be some serious changes over in ANBU this time next month. Hokage-sama's asked Gaara to lend us an investigation squad. Seem's that the rouge captain incident was just one of many that's been happening all the more frequently over the past few years. Long story short, Sandaime-sama's pissed and wants the corruption stopped before it spreads any further. So I'm guessing about half the captain's and a good chunk of the older operatives are about to find themselves either back in the Jounin corps or in a jail cell with nothing more to look forward to then listening to Kotetsu sniffing for the next twenty or so years."

"'Bout freakin' time."

"Tell me about it..."

"I should just go throw my name in the applicant pool just to piss them all off more."

"You so should," agreed Kiba. "You've got enough support on the inside to get it cleared, and you're more then qualified."

"Oh yes... revenge is sweet."

Kiba glanced down at his watch, "Wow... that was a particularly efficient way of killing almost an hour..."

Naruto chuckled, "It's been an hour already?"

"Pretty damn close to one, yeah."

"Late enough to pack up and head out?"

"Eh," he shrugged, "Good enough."

--

They arrived at the gates just as the sun began setting behind the tree-tops.

"You're back early," said Tonbo who was on duty at the security desk that day.

"Ehhh... woke up early and figured, 'What the hell? Might as well get going already.'"

"Right... Well, glad to see you guys made it back okay. Not that a Suna trip is much more then vacation these days."

"Specially this time of year when the temperature is pleasant instead of broiling."

"You guys are back early."

"Genma! When'd you get back?"

"Yesterday, and I'm already back on night patrols."

"That sucks man... How's Raidou taking that bit of news?"

"He can't complain, since he's got the rest of the week off."

"What hat'd he pull that outta, cause I wanna borrow it. Hokage's bodyguards never get time off."

"Tell me about it," he sighed, senbon sliding across his lip to the other side of his mouth. "I dunno how he did it, but he did, and I'm glad he did cause Hayate's back in the hospital so I'm stuck with his morning patrols too."

"Well, I haven't got any outstanding mission's waiting so I can take them if you want?"

"Naw, I need the cash right now. Iruka's the only on that'll ever give me mission's anymore and he's only manning the mission's desk two days a week now."

"Why aren't they giving you missions?"

"Same reason you can get many I suppose," he shrugged, grinning at Naruto. "Not that I mind all that much. Rai's getting paid enough to cover most of the bills, and my night patrols are covering the rest. Taking Hayate's was a godsend though, 'since Rai's not getting paid vacation until the summer."

"Or until they take Izumo and Kotetsu off prison duty?"

"That too."

"I can't wait until that Suna squad's done... this is getting ridiculous."

"Yeah, but what are ya gunna do? We just have to live with it for now."

"Well, we'd better report in." He turned to Tonbo, "Who's mannin' the gate cams?"

"That prick that captain Kururugi shunted to my department."

"Crap, we'd better get in fast. He's one of the one's that's still got it in for Naruto. He'd just love a reason to charge him with something."

"Like hell he can. I convinced Ibiki to install a couple of camera's with direct feeds to Hokage-sama's office. If he tries anything funny we have proof of when you got here."

"See this is why I love Ibiki. He's a master of killing two birds with one stone. Increases security and makes sure that the jackasses can't pull anymore funny business."

"Smart man, Ibiki."

"Well, mark it down I've reported in and I'll get to my station," yawned Genma, waving a lazy goodbye to them all and leaping up to the top of the wall to start his patrol.

"Come on, if we hurry we can catch Aoba before he his shift's over."

"What's Aoba doing at the mission's desk?"

"Ehhh, with Izumo gone and Iruka only taking two days a week, they need someone to fill in. He's not taking any out of town missions right now so he's the only one with the right qualifications."

"But he hates the mission's desk."

"Yeah, but as long as there's someone there to help him he's good enough at it," said Tonbo as he stamped their mission report.

"Thanks Tonbo. See you later."

"Later boys."

"Maybe I should take a spin at the mission's desk. Pays decent enough, and it's easier then night patrols."

"True," agreed Kiba as they made their way towards the admin building to hand in their mission report. "Then again, you're qualified enough to teach supplemental courses over at the academy, and the pays just as good."

"Yeah... but I doubt they'd let me near the academy right now. Teacher's never did trust me all that much."

"Right... forgot about that."

"Well at least you still get your ANBU stipend as long as you take a mission a month with them."

"It's really not a lot yanno. You get about at much for a week long A-rank."

"Still better then what I'm getting."

"Ehhh yanno what they say, 'shit's gotta get worse before it can get better.'"

"That only works for normal people."

"Yeah, but since normal doesn't apply in the same context to ninjas..."

"Just gotta run with it?"

"Now you're learning."

"I love how easy it was to make everyone think that I was an idiot. Too bad for them I've always been the fastest learner in the village."

"Feh, I never thought you where an idiot. How could I? We only trained together every other day."

"True enough..."

"Plus, you're better at coming up with pranks then I am. I think I only ever came up with one that outdid you."

"I prolly would have come up with that eventually," he defended. "And anyway, I didn't think the beating I would have gotten was worth the enjoyment from watching half the ANBU squads running around like chicken with their heads cut off 'cause someone rigged the showers to spray neon purple hair dye."

"Well, maybe not for you... but when I _did_ do that one, yeah, totally worth it. 'Specially since Kakashi had been re-activated for a nasty assassination. Yeah... nothing quiet like watching a pissy Kakashi walk around town with purple streaks in his hair."

Naruto chuckled, imagining the Jounin with tie-dyed hair.

--

"Iruka-sensei?"

"Hello, boys. You're back early."

"Where's Aoba?"

"His son spiked a fever so he had to run to the hospital. They called me in to cover for him."

"Well, at least someone upstairs likes us today," he grinned as he handed in the mission report they'd worked on the night before.

"Anything else happen while we were gone?"

"Not that I know of. It's been rather quiet the past few days."

"Any news on Hayate yet?"

"How'd you know Hayate was sick again?"

"Ran into Genma at the gate."

"Ah," nodded the Chuunin. "Well, Kotetsu went to go see him last night and he was doing alright. Doc's said it was just a case of pneumonia."

"Pneumonia, eh? Well, that's better then the crap that usually wrong with him."

"Yeah. Anyway, according to Kotetsu it's only a minor case, but they still want to keep him in until the weekend."

"Probably a good idea. With the way his little bugs turn into full blown medical emergencies..."

"Too bad it's already so late. We should go see him tomorrow"

"Well, we've got the day off, so we might as well."

"Kakashi-sensei back yet?"

"Day after tomorrow at least," said Iruka, shaking his head. "I still can't believe they had to re-activate him _again_. That's the fifth time this year."

"He might as well put himself on permanent semi-active duty. He gets re-activated often enough."

"It's like that with all the ex-ANBU. Genma's been called back twice in six months, and I heard that Raidou's getting tapped after his vacation's up."

"_Damnnnnnnnnnn,"_ whistled Kiba.

"Are they that short-handed?"

"Hell no," said Kiba. "Half of us are stuck sitting around on our asses all day while they tap all of them."

"Is it true that squad from Suna is here to investigate the captains?" asked Iruka in a whisper.

Kiba nodded.

Iruka shook his head, "Sad times we live in... Even ANBU's lost it's integrity."

"Tell me about it."

The door to the mission room opened and a tired looking Tenten walked in.

"You look like hell," commented Naruto.

"A-rank's suck when your teamed with an idiot."

"Know the feeling," agreed Kiba.

"Who was your team mate?"

"That first-year that's usually on Izumo's cousin's squad."

"The one that thinks Aoba's sunglasses are the coolest thing's he's ever seen and wears identical pairs everyday?"

"Yeah," she nodded as she handed Iruka her report. "God I wish Lee wasn't off training with Gai-sensei right now. These kids I keep getting paired with are killing me."

"You still having trouble getting missions with ANBU?"

"Yeah... I'm having to fight tooth and nail just to get the required one a month right now."

"You aren't they only one."

The door opened once again and Aoba walked in.

"Back already?"

Pushing his sunglasses further up the bridge of his nose, "Yeah, doc's kicked me out the second my wife got there. Said I was too distracting."

"You're a father worried about his son, so I'd think they'd be a little more understanding."

"Yeah... but I think they were getting distracted by my constant demanding to know what they were doing."

"Again, that's your right as a concerned father."

"Any idea what's wrong with him?"

"Not yet, but they did say he's got an upper respiratory infection. When they shoved me out I heard one of the docs in the background say something about bronchitis."

"Oh man... that's not good in a kid that young."

"Tell me about it," he sighed, shoulders sagging.

Kiba placed a comforting arm around the other Jounin's shoulder, gently leading him to one of the unoccupied chairs so he could sit down. "Don't worry so much man. You know they're doing all they can to make him better."

"I know... it's just hard knowing he's in there and I can't do anything about it..."

"You want to take a few days off? The new term doesn't start for two weeks so I can cover for you."

"You'd really do that?"

"Of course I would Aoba! You need to be there with your son right now, not sitting behind a desk processing paperwork."

"You're a live saver Iruka," he sighed gratefully.

"Walk with us to see Hokage-sama. We have to go report to him right now anyway."

"Yeah, we can talk on the way there," agreed Naruto.

"Okay," he nodded and took the hand that Kiba was offering to help him up.

"Hope he gets better quickly," offered Tenten.

"Thanks."

--

It took them about ten minutes longer then it should have to make it to the Hokage's office, but since none of them were in a hurry, and Aoba was so distraught that it was a miracle that he hadn't walked into something the entire time, no one really noticed.

They were stopped by the guard outside the door. "State you business."

"We were told to report to the Hokage. We've just returned for the diplomatic mission to Suna."

"And him," he nodded towards the visibly pale and shaky Aoba.

"It's a more personal matter, but still of great importance."

The guard nodded and knocked at the door.

"Enter."

The guard opened the door and the three of them walked in.

"Ah yes, I've been expecting you boys," he said to Naruto and Kiba. Noticing Aoba's obvious distress, "Yamashiro? Are you alright son?"

"Sir, I've come to ask for leave. My son is sick in the hospital and I believe that I cannot effectively preform my duties at this time."

"Ah yes, I was informed of your situation. I have already approved time off for you. You must have missed the messenger."

"My apologies sir. When I left the hospital the first place I went was back to the mission room."

"That is quiet alright. Go see to your family."

"Thank you sir," he bowed. He just about bolted out the door.

"Poor guy..." muttered Kiba quietly.

"Yes. It is not easy to see one's child in such condition." He glanced down at the reports on his desk. "Your reports?"

"Yes sir," said Kiba. "As you know, we arrived in Suna on schedule..."

--

"...Which is when Aoba stumbled into the mission room, visibly distraught, and updated us on his sons illness. Since we would be heading to the same place anyway, Kiba asked him to walk with us, as a gesture of both support in his time of need, and as a way for us to make sure that something untoward happened to him on his way here," finished Naruto as he wrapped up his own explanation of the event of the past week.

"Excellent work boys," congratulated Sarutobi. "I'm glad you had such an easy time. I know that diplomacy isn't a favorite task for either of you."

"No sir, diplomacy is not our fortay."

"Having a personal friendship with the Kazekage does help the process along."

"Yes sir, it does help quiet a bit."

"Well anyway, everything is in order on this end. I daresay you boys have earned a little break. I know you have been busy taking any mission you possibly can Kiba, and you aren't far behind him at this point Naruto. Go ahead and take a three day weekend."

The boys blinked, "Thank you sir."

There was a knock at the door.

"Ah yes. My next appointment is here. If you will excuse me."

"Yes Hokage-sama," they both bowed and exited quickly.

--

"Extended weekends are a godsend. I never realized just how much work it is being a Jounin."

"Speak for yourself. I always have to be ready in case ANBU decides they need my particular talents."

"Yeah, but all things considered, do you really think they'll tap you this week?"

"Good point..."

"I'm hungry..." sniffed Naruto, the smell of food wafting towards them on the breeze from the local night market.

"Ichiraku's?"

"God yes, field rations are getting worse with every mission."

"Can't deny that particular fact of the universe."

"Too bad it's the wrong time of year to actually find berries and junk out there."

"I know... I remember this one time I was out with Shino and Hinata and we found this _huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge_ clearing full of ripe blackberries. I swear my teeth were stained red for over a month."

"Lucky. I can't tell you how many times I would have killed for a few ripe berries."

"Never really have to worry about that here, eh?"

Naruto shrugged, "Not yet anyway. Ask me again in a year."

A small group of civilians walked past, muttering darkly in their direction.

Naruto sighed. "I love how they still think I _can't hear them_," he enunciated those last words a bit louder, making sure they _could_ hear him.

The civilians scattered.

"Jackasses."

"Welcome to my world."

"You still getting death threats?"

"A few," he sighed. "Not as many as before though."

"That's good. At least it's tapering off instead of getting worse."

"Yeah, but there's still idiots sending me poisoned food and junk."

"You're kidding me."

"Nope."

"What idiot thought that a ninja would ever eat something that was sent to them by someone they don't know?."

"Some civilians are morons."

"More then some," he said, eying a group of said civilians that weren't bothering to conceal their obvious dislike of Naruto.

"Feh, you think if I wore a mask or something they'd leave me alone?"

"Doubt it. Maybe if you put something over the whisker marks?"

"Tried that once. Remember the time I came to school missing three of my teeth and with a black eye?"

"So that's what happened..."

Shrugging, "I dunno, masks and junk might work if I wasn't so blonde. And no, I will not dye my hair unless absolutely necessary."

"Wasn't gunna say anything about dying your hair."

"_Riiiiiiiight_."

"Quit being sarcastic."

"I will if you will."

"Never mind then."

They ducked under the ceiling hangings and sat down at the bar of Ichiraku's.

"Hello boys. What'll it be today?"

"Just the usual," replied Kiba.

"Ditto, but with an extra portion of pork."

"Fresh off a mission, eh?"

"Yep. Diplomatic trip to Suna. Nothing big."

"Heheh, Hokage-sama sure likes sending you for those."

"Yeah... I seem to be the local favorite for diplomatic missions... an oxymoron if I've ever heard one actually."

"Sometimes the least likely people are best for the job at hand," he replied. "How about you Naruto, you enjoy your first out of village mission since coming back?"

"Oh yeah," he nodded. "I was going stir-crazy being stuck here all the time."

"You should have seen him on the way out there. He kept twitching every time a twig broke or a bush rustled."

"Feh, I've spent the better part of my life a missing-nin. Can't fault me for being cautious. Not to mention that most ANBU are out for my blood at any given point."

"Just the captains," Kiba reminded him. "Most of the rest of us like you."

"Not as comforting to me as to you. ANBU captains are the elite of the elite, so that kinda negates any good there."

"He's got you there Kiba," chuckled Ayame as she came out of the back room carrying a basket full of veggies.

"Yeah, yeah. Won't be that way much longer."

"That only depends on who they appoint the new captains."

"New captains?"

"Yeah... there's gunna be some changes in the ANBU leadership pretty soon. Can't say anything more then that."

"'Bout time. That one guy's refusing to pay his tab, and no matter how much I complain they just ignore me."

"Lemmie guess, Kururugi?"

"Yeah, that's the one."

"Oh what I wouldn't do to get my hands on him right now," grumbled Kiba. "He's making it nearly impossible for Tenten, Neji, and I to get any missions anymore. All three of us are about to get kicked outta ANBU 'cause he's ordered his man in the missions department not to give us any."

"His lackey in the Jounin corps rigged it so that I'm constantly stuck doing D and C-ranked missions when I should be on A and S-ranks. Hell, Sandaime-sama had to personally assign me to this mission for me to go."

"That's not right... They should be assigning you missions that fit your skill set."

"Yeah, but whadda ya gunna do? They hate my guts, so they're gunna do anything they can to make me fail. And Kiba's getting burned 'cause he's my best friend and biggest supporter."

"Hasn't anyone noticed the trend?"

"Yeah," nodded Kiba. "Hence the soon to be coming change in leadership."

"Ahhh," nodded Ichiraku. "Tell me, does it have anything to do with those Suna-nin that appeared just after you left?"

"Yeah... but that's all I can or will say. Trust me, this isn't one time you want pry."

"I believe you," he said as he set their bowls down in front of them. "So, anything interesting happen while you were gone?"

--

An hour and an ungodly amount of ramen later, the now full Naruto and Kiba left Ichiraku's and started heading towards home.

"You got any plans for tomorrow?"

"Naw..."

"Sleep til noon and then debate whether or not it's worth getting up?"

"Sounds about right. You?"

"I dunno," he shrugged. "Prolly the same. I need to get at least one good day of training in this week though."

"Well, we can get it out of the way tomorrow if you want. I need a decent training partner right now. I'm working on a new version of Fang over Fang."

"Really now?"

"Yeah," he nodded.

"So let's say about 1:30-ish?"

"Works for me. Half day tomorrow and a full day on Saturday."

"Sounds good."

They turned the corner onto their street and walked up to their apartment block.

"Night Naruto," yawned Kiba as he headed towards the closest set of stairs.

"Night," he answered.

--

Naruto was sitting under the shade of a large oak when Kiba arrived. It too all of thirty seconds for Kiba to notice that the blonde was dozing, which wasn't a surprise given that he was half an hour late.

"Naruto?"

The man blinked sleepily and looked up. "Eh? Kiba? You finally here?"

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that. Didn't mean to be so late."

"...Time is it?"

"'Bout 2-ish. Not very late. How long you been here?"

He yawned, "Only 'bout an hour."

"Awake enough to get started?"

"Pretty much," he said as he shoved himself to his feet. "Whadda ya wanna work on?"

"Well, you've pretty much got all the stuff that he taught you down right?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Other then still needing a clone for the one anyway."

"Feel up to being a target then?"

"Yeah, although I would prefer not to be."

"Yeah, but I kinda need something that moves as a target. I'm still learning how to direct this attack."

"If you say so," he shrugged, reaching up to tighten the knot of his headband. He walked over to the other end of the field and waited.

Kiba stretched for a moment then called, "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be!" he called back, kunai out and ready to defend.

"Here I come!" he yelled and dropped into his beast-like stance. "Man Beast Art: Beast Mimicry!" His fingers taking on a claw-like appearance, canines lengthening, and limbs changing subtly to allow for four-legged movement, he leaped into the air and called out, "Fang over Fang!" His body began to spin so fast that he blurred into nothing so much as a whirling tornado of destructive power. He tore across the field at a nearly unbelievable speed, rending a long, jagged trench across it. Naruto dodged easily, having speed comparable to Kiba's, even in this enhanced form.

"Stop playing around and get too it!"

"Yeah, yeah," came the slightly echo-y reply. Kiba changed direction and swept through the stream that form one border of the isolated field. The water from the stream began to swirl around the tornado wildly. "Water Style: Fanged Vortex Jutsu!" The water surrounding Kiba formed into a cone with razor-like fins extending from the sides. Kiba turned and tore across the field, speed enhanced even farther by the introduction of the elemental chakra to the already lethal attack.

Naruto really had to work now. Kiba moved far too fast for him to track visually, so he was reduced to feeling out chakra signature of the jutsu. "Stop playing and come at me already!" he yelled, annoyed.

"I'm trying damn it!"

Naruto jumped just fast enough to avoid losing an arm to the spinning cone of death. "There ya go. Almost had me that time!"

"Whadda ya mean almost!" was all that Naruto heard before being engulfed in a prison of water.

He summoned a clone quickly and used it to help form the typhoon of chakra in his hand. With a muffled bellow of, "Rasengan!" he shattered the water prison and jumped into the trees. "No fair using the Water Prison Jutsu Kiba!"

"All's fair in love and war," was the reply as Kiba appeared, dripping wet and breathing hard under the tree Naruto stood in.

"Still draining all your chakra, eh?"

"Not as bad now," he corrected. "At least I'm still standing. How long did I manage to hold it for this time?"

Naruto checked his wrist watch, which was set to it's stop watch function. "Over three minutes. New record."

"Sweet," he sighed and sat down with his back against the tree. "Now if I only had the energy to do anything else I'd be a happy man."

"Cheer up Kiba," said Naruto as he jumped and landed lightly next to the exhausted ninja. "Remember how hard a time I had with all my new jutsu?"

"Yeah, but you didn't drop like a fly after one shot."

"I dropped like a rock the first few times I tried using elemental chakra in anything."

"Oh please, you had the best sensei in the village to teach you."

_Flashback_

Naruto sank like a boneless rock, drained beyond exhaustion from the attempt.

"Get up and try again kid."

"Shove it sensei," he panted with the barest hint of a growl. "I can't."

"Quit screwing around and get your lazy ass up! Now!"

Naruto pulled himself heavily to his knees, "Why the hell is that so draining?"

"You waste too much chakra. You have no control over the amount you release."

"Never been an issue before," he huffed as he finally made it back to his feet and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Course you haven't. You've got chakra reserves like nothing I've ever seen before. Your stamina's always compensated. Too bad for you that little cheat won't work for this. Elemental chakra's twice as draining. You're reaching your limits sooner because you're having to draw on a smaller reserve of power."

"Well, we've already figured out that I _can't_ control my chakra any better. Not with my little demon buddy anyway."

"You aren't trying hard enough. Yes, the seal makes it more difficult, but not impossible."

"Well then, how about you actually stay and help me train for more then five minutes instead of disappearing back into town and hitting up the bars?" he growled, annoyed at his sensei's lecherous behavior.

"How many times do I have to tell you? If you don't learn how to train yourself, you'll never be able to get stronger. You have to stop relying on the skill of your teacher and start relying on your own."

"Um hello? Earth to Ero Sennin. I've only spent the last ten years doing that. The only help I ever got from Kobayashi-sensei was a quick course in what the katas to practice were supposed to look like. Everything else I did myself."

"That was swordsmanship, not ninjutsu training. These are very different concepts. It's easy to train the body and muscles, but working on chakra control is infinitely harder."

"Then stop talking and freaking teach me!" he bellowed, angry at the roundabout conversation.

"What the hell do you think I've spent the last three months doing whelp!?" he yelled right back. "I've had to take time out of my busy life to teach a lazy ungrateful brat all the crap he should have been taught in the academy, not to mention all the other crap his Genin instructor should have shown him. You should be grateful that I even agreed to take you on! I haven't taken a student in over twenty-five years!"

"Me be more grateful!! You're the jackass that wasn't ever around when I needed you! You're supposed to be my godfather! Where the hell where you the day I nearly died?!" He didn't give him a chance to reply before continuing with, "Probably in some bar chatting it up with the ladies! Don't tell me I'm being ungrateful! It's the least you could do to make up for your absence by teaching me!"

"Now see, if you put as much determination and thought into your training as you did that rant, you wouldn't be having this problem!"

"That's it!" he yelled and charged the white-haired toad sage.

_End Flashback_

"Yeah..." he replied, shaking his head. "Training with Ero Sennin really isn't as great as you think it is. He basically showed me what it was supposed to look like then threw me to the dogs 'till I figured it out myself."

"Yeah right."

"Seriously. He spent more time hitting the bars with some random girls then training me."

"Then how the hell did you get so much done in six months?"

"I'm a bull headed idealist that loves to learn powerful jutsu and works waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too hard to do so. I'm only lazy in between said training."

"Sounds about right."

"You fell any better now?"

"Tired, but yeah. Let's work on taijutsu for a bit while my chakra replenishes."

"Works for me. We can do taijutsu now, and I'll break out my new clone formations afterwards."

--

While the boys where out training, a meeting was taking place in a dimly lit little room in the deepest bowels of ANBU HQ.

Seven people where seated at a round table, all in shadow, only a few candle feebly trying to keep the darkness of the room at bay. Identities where protected by shadow. Even if, by some odd coincidence given the lack of any natural source of light in the room, the faces where to be brought into light, full face masks added further protection for identification The masks, similar in shape and design to those worn by the newest inductees of ANBU Black Ops, were completely blank and devoid of all adornments.

"Has everyone arrived?"

"Yes."

"Then we shall begin. Does anyone have any important information to share?"

"I do," came a slow, gravelly voice. "I have been watching the demon-fox and Inuzuka boy train. I am worried that we are underestimating the sheer power he possesses."

"Come now, we have all seen the power of the demon fox. There is no underestimating it's power."

"I was not speaking of the demon-fox," retorted the man.

"The Inuzuka is no more powerful then any of his clan. He is not to be discounted, but he lacks any serious threat."

"I disagree."

"Have you any proof?"

"I have," he replied, reaching into his robe and retrieving a scroll. "I offer this recording as evidence." He broke the seal and spread the scroll flat on the table in front of him. He tapped the seal and infused it with a bit of chakra, causing it to play it's contents.

_"Water Style: Fanged Vortex Jutsu!" A swirling vortex of water tore across an open training field, aimed directly for the figure that stood at the other end. The figure leaped easily over the tornado, but miscalculated how fast and maneuverable his opponent was in the air. He was caught in mid-air and slammed into a large boulder. The impact was enough to shatter the giant rock and to send the man flying backwards another hundred feet where he splashed loudly into a stream. The vortex dissapeared and a brunette man ran the length of the field and to the water's edge, "Naruto!" Said blonde surfaced, gasping for air and coughing up water. Kiba ran into the water and pulled the half drowned man to shore. He repeatedly slammed a hand onto the blonde's back in an effort to help him clear the water from his lungs._

_Naruto stopped hacking long enough to get out, "Next time... Don't aim towards the water."_

The recording ended and the room was silent for a moment as each one considered this new information.

"I see was you mean," said one. "The Inuzuka has grown more powerful."

"Anything that can cause that kind of damage to the demon-fox much be considered highly dangerous."

"Are we sure that there is no way to recruit him to our side?"

"Yes," said the man that appeared to be the leader. "He is far to close to the demon-fox. It was apparent from an early age that he would never join us."

"What a waste. His only sin is befriending a demon in disguise."

"In any case, he must not stand in the way of our plans. If he must be sacrificed in order to eliminate the demon-fox's threat, then so be it."

"Agreed," echoed the rest of them.

"Is there any other business to discuss?"

"Have we agreed to a date as of yet?"

"No. The date is still open for debate."

"I suggest we begin soon. The longer we wait, the more powerful he shall be when we do finally move against him."

"Agreed. The longer we wait, the more that those within our ranks are swayed and the greater the chance of civilian casualties."

"Well then, the focus of the next meeting shall be to set up an appropriate time-scale for the implementation of our plan."

Nods of agreement all around.

"Then I shall adjourn this meeting. We shall reconvene in one week." He stood and declared, "To the destruction of the demon-fox!"

The rest stood and echoed, "To the destruction of the demon-fox!"

--


End file.
